Home Tours

A Hamilton home gets a $40,000 makeover with French country style

A tired ex-rental in Hamilton is given a bright makeover inspired by its owners love of monochrome shades and keen eye for French styling

Scroll down to see this chic Hamilton home

Meet and greet

Audrey Fitzjohn, photographer and stylist, Elliot Fitzjohn, arborist, and Charles, 3.

A Hamilton home gets a $40,000 makeover with French country style

Scroll down to see this chic Hamilton home

Roofing – $11,000; exterior painting – $16,500; kitchen – $1000; interior – $9000; pizza oven, top terrace and garden – $1000; miscellaneous – $1500.

How did your budget forecast compare to your actual spend?
We didn’t plan a budget. We knew there would be bigger jobs, such as the roofing and exterior painting, that would need a budget, but the other jobs were quite minimal and we knew we’d just pay as we went. We didn’t get any nasty surprises, so it never felt like our budget was stretched.

What areas of your home do you save or splurge on?
I love a good bargain yet I love quality, too, so I usually splurge (to a reasonable extent) on pure linen bedding. We also splurge when we ship furniture from France every now and again.

Do you tend to buy high-end homeware or seek out a bargain?
Neither; we make considered choices. I recommend spending big on a sofa that will last and collecting tableware from op shops (our dinner set is Crown Lynn Apollo).

Best advice when it comes to spending money on a home?
Do what makes you happy; do not think about resale too much. Create a home for you.

How did you keep track of costs during the makeover?
We would look at our plan before starting a room, and ask ourselves what we really wanted in there. What should be the priority? This house only needed basic cosmetic work, so there was never anything that would break the bank. If there was something expensive we wanted to do, we just waited until we’d gathered the funds.

 

Best lesson learned?
Plan your timing well and precisely.

What would you never do again?
Make a concrete benchtop inside the room in which it is planned to go.

DIY disasters?
None.

What’s one thing you would change about your home if you could?
We would love to add an extension from the dining room to create a family room. A small, shallow pool somewhere in the garden would be lovely, too.

What is the most memorable experience you’ve had in your home (good or bad)?
All our lovely pizza nights outside with friends, and my 30th birthday party.

Words by: Catherine Steel. Photography by: Audrey Fitzjohn.

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